The Eden Prairie High School football team could have beaten Totino-Grace, the best team they had ever faced in a state championship game, if they had gotten a call or two, if they hadn’t turned the ball over, if they hadn’t sustained any key injuries, and lastly, if they had gotten a little lucky.

Friday, Eden Prairie went 0-4 in the ‘what-if’ department. They’d also lose 28-20, counting the third time they had lost to Totino-Grace in as many games, the second time in season-ending fashion.

“They’re a strong, veteran, veteran team,” said Eden Prairie Head Coach Mike Grant. “This was their year.”

To be sure, Eden Prairie has had their years too, 10 of them actually.

Two years ago, for example, Eden Prairie defeated Totino-Grace in the state championship game, possibly getting a favorable call and possibly getting a little lucky.

Turns out, Friday’s game was the one-score game everyone thought it would be, which, by default, also makes it a one-play game.

For Eden Prairie that one play was really 4-5 plays.

If they make Totino-Grace pay for snapping the ball over their punter’s head late in the first quarter, who knows what changes (Eden Prairie was leading 7-0 at the time)? If, in the same quarter, they get a pass interference call on a deep ball thrown to Daejon Wolfe, who knows if the Eagles go on to score another touchdown? On the flip side, if Wolfe’s arm wasn’t held, does he catch the ball? And if he does, does a 14-0 lead change the game?

You can also play the what-if game on two costly second-half turnovers. A muffed punt, following a momentum-gaining sack, gave Totino-Grace the ball on the Eden Prairie 12-yard line. Four plays later, Totino-Grace would knot the game at 14-14.

Totino-Grace would also score on its next two possessions, the first following a 42-yard drive, the second following an Eden Prairie fumble and a 32-yard drive.

Trailing 28-14 late, Carlos Williams, getting extra carries because of injuries to Solo Falaniko and Devan Greene, scored on a second/third-effort 7-yard run. The clock read 0:00 as he crossed the goal line.

STATISTICAL SUCCESS

Kyle Connelly had Eden Prairie’s best game. He also scored two Eden Prairie touchdowns. He counted the first score of the game, returning a pooch punt 86 yards for a touchdown. He grabbed the bouncing ball and zigzagged down the sideline and back across the field for the score.

His second touchdown, a 28-yard pass from Cole Kramer, ended in the type of catch you’d see on an NFL Sunday, body/fingers extended while catching the back half of the ball. He did this while diving across the goal line.

He’d finish with 197 all-purpose yards, seven catches for 109 yards and three punt returns for 88 yards.

Kramer completed 11-22 passes for 155 yards and one touchdown. He didn’t throw an interception, nor has he all season.

“I thought we could get a few big plays with our passing game,” explains Grant. “Connelly had two and just missed with a couple more.”

Falaniko led Eden Prairie in rushing, carrying the ball 11 times for 37 yards.

Opposite of Eden Prairie, Totino-Grace had success running the ball, rushing 53 times for 263 yards.

On the flip side, they completed 5-12 passes for just 20 yards.

Total offense was 283 to 229 in favor of Totino-Grace.

Key stat?

Totino-Grace converted 2-3 fourth downs, the biggest being a 4-yard touchdown pass. Eden Prairie was 0-1.

Question: Did Eden Prairie have to play the perfect game to win?

“We had to play perfect because they played perfect,” said Grant. “You won’t play a better team in the state tournament.”

Totino-Grace might be saying some of the same things.